Comparison of preoperative serum neopterin, periostin, indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase, YKL‐40, and tenascin‐C levels with current tumor markers for early‐stage endometrial cancer

Abstract

To compare the predictive value of serum levels of neopterin, periostin, YKL-40, tenascin-C (TNC), and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) with current tumor markers for the primary diagnosis of early-stage endometrial cancer. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2020 and November 2020. A total of 59 patients (38 women newly diagnosed with early-stage endometrial cancer [study group] and 21 women with benign endometrial pathologies [control group]) were enrolled. Blood samples were collected prior to surgery and underwent immunoassay analysis. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), periostin, and IDO levels were significantly higher in the study group than the control group (P=0.008, P=0.034, and P=0.003, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that IDO, periostin, and CEA were good predictors of early-stage endometrial cancer (AUC=0.733, 95% CI, 0.602-0.840, P<0.002; AUC=0.668, 95% CI, 0.533-0.785, P=0.018; and AUC=0.709, 95% CI, 0.576-0.820, P=0.002, respectively). Correlation analysis revealed no significant correlation of any biomarker with age or body mass index in either the control or study group. Serum CEA, periostin, and IDO levels were significantly higher in women with endometrial cancer than in those without cancer. These results may help identify new markers for diagnosing endometrial cancer.